Truck campers are a type of recreational vehicle that are typically received in and supported by the bed of a pickup truck. Users can use the truck camper as overnight sleeping quarters on a temporary or full time basis. Many truck campers include a cab over portion that has a bed. The truck can be used to transport the truck camper to a wide variety of locations. When the user reaches a location and wants to use the truck without the truck camper, the user can support the truck camper with electric jacks or any other suitable lifting or supporting device and drive the truck separately. The truck and truck camper combination provide a highly versatile and functional unit for transporting and lodging users. In those instances where the truck is a 4×4, the truck and truck camper can often travel to locations that may otherwise be inaccessible to other types of recreational vehicles such as jeep trails and backcountry camping areas. Even when the truck is not a 4×4, it is often shorter in length than comparable towable recreational vehicles so it allows the truck and truck camper to be taken to locations that other longer recreational vehicles cannot be taken.
Because truck campers are supported, at least in part, by the truck rather than having its own wheels like fifth wheels or travel trailers, it is necessary to find a suitable method and location to secure the truck camper to the truck. The truck camper may be coupled to a number of suitable locations on the truck. For example, the truck camper may be coupled to the bed and/or frame of the truck adjacent to the front and/or rear of the bed of the truck. Suitable locations for coupling the truck camper to the truck include the frame, bumper, and/or bed of the truck.
One common way to couple the truck camper to the truck is with the use of a turnbuckle. Unfortunately, turnbuckles can have some disadvantages. For example, tightening and loosening a turnbuckle often requires repetitive and sometimes difficult hand movements. This problem may be compounded in some instances where it is difficult to grip the turnbuckle. Users having a medical condition such as arthritis may find it particularly difficult to grip and turn the turnbuckles. Repeatedly tightening and loosening turnbuckles can also be time consuming.
In an attempt to improve on the turnbuckle, a tie-down was developed that used a lever-type load binding mechanism to allow the tie-down to be more readily coupled between the truck and the truck camper. This tie-down, however, suffers from a number of disadvantages. One disadvantage is that because the tie-down was more readily removed than a turnbuckle, it was much easier for others to steal or loosen the tie-down without the user of the truck knowing. If the user operated the truck with a loose or missing tie-down a dangerous situation may ensue. Another disadvantage is that the length of the previous tie-down was unable to be adjusted while the tie-down is coupled between the truck and the truck camper. Instead, users were required to completely uncouple one end of the tie-down in order to adjust the length of the tie-down. Once the length had been adjusted, the user would then have to couple the tie-down back to the truck and truck camper, tension the load binding mechanism, and see if the tie-down was the correct length to provide the desired tension. If the desired tension was not provided, then the user would have to release the load binding mechanism, uncouple at least one end of the tie-down and adjust the length. This process had to be repeated until the desired tension was achieved. Coupling and decoupling the tie-down to the truck or truck camper and adjusting the length can be tedious.
It should be appreciated that the subject matter in the claims should not be regarded as being limited either literally or under the doctrine of equivalents to including or excluding components, features, or structure or being otherwise configured to overcome the disadvantages or shortcomings of previous tie-downs, unless such components features, structure, or configuration is explicitly recited in the claims in structural and/or functional terms.